Supercharge Potential

Plant-based proteins offer the potential to supercharge the fight against food waste, by reducing waste and inefficiencies in meat, seafood and dairy production and reversing opportunity food loss.

Some companies are already positioned to capitalise on this opportunity. IKEA became the first global company to commit to halving food waste in 2017, and exceeded its target in 2022 [10]. The company also set a plant-protein target for 50% of its meals by 2025 [11]. Nestlé and Danone have targeted a 50% reduction in food waste by 2030 in line with SDG 12.3 goals, while Unilever committed to halving food waste across its operations by 2025. Unilever and Nestle also set plant-based protein sales targets for 2025 and 2030, respectively, and both companies have invested substantially in plant-protein manufacturing [12].

Some Asian retailers have developed innovative waste-reduction approaches, with e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba and JD.com having a particular advantage in being able to digitally manage stock inventory. Other companies have taken the lead with robust targets, such as Charoen Pokphand Foods, which has set goals for both zero food waste by 2030 and plant-based food sales targets.

Downstream players such as Yum China have set a more modest food-waste reduction target of 10% by 2030. Others have taken the lead on plant-protein targets, including Thai Union, CJ CheilJedang, and NH Foods, while a minority such as Century Pacific Foods and Nissin Foods have identified the longer-term decarbonisation opportunity inherent in plant proteins [13].

The hotel and food-service sectors also hold great potential. Some hotels in Singapore offer plant-based menu items as a means of reducing food waste and enhancing their broader sustainability goals [14], while a Singaporean start-up has developed an AI-driven solution for retailers and food service [15].

Regional analysis shows that in FY2022, 33% of 100 listed Asian protein buyers now offer at least one plant-protein product, while more than 20% report a reduction in food waste[16]. Leading companies in the region are making significant commitments or setting targets for both food waste reduction and plant-proteins.

Few, however, are harnessing the intersection of the two.

This convergence of these twin goals can open a pathway to greater plant-protein uptake, enhance food sustainability and security, improve resource efficiency, and drive new growth in the Asian food sector.

To capitalise on this dual opportunity, more businesses should:

• Publish aspirational targets optimising the intersection FLW reduction and plant-based protein products, and publish progress against both targets annually.
• Invest in technology and innovation for animal protein waste reduction.
• Collaborate across the supply chain to save unnecessary sourcing and cost.
• Engage also with policymakers and industry bodies, as policy seem to be another key driver of reducing food waste in Asia.

Meeting Targets

Tackling FLW is also important at a national policymaking level, particularly this year. Prior to the UN Conference of Parties (COP) 30 in November, all countries are expected to submit their contribution towards the SDG target 12.3; namely, to halve per-capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels, and reduce food losses along production and supply chains by 2030[3].

With food systems accounting for up to 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions, countries and companies can start to use waste prevention and reduced food sourcing as a means of reducing their Scope 3 emissions. This is helpful, as countries are being encouraged to integrate emissions reduction targets related to food systems in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, and increasingly mandating annual reporting of Scope 3 emissions for listed companies.

More broadly, commercial product-based studies have shown that plant-based meat production can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 86%, water pollution by 47%, and land use by 93%, compared with conventional meat. When compared with specific meats across 18 environmental indicators, the impacts of plant-based meats are on average 91% lower than beef, 88% lower than pork, and 71% lower than chicken.

During and beyond 2025, the intersection of food waste reduction and plant-based protein adoption represents a critical opportunity for Asian businesses to enhance sustainability while driving growth and efficiency.